Before the Storm

I was able to spend some time at the beach before Hurricane Irene blew by us. The colors were very blur and green this morning.

Lone Boat on the Atlantic                                                                                          by Sarah Brown

Local Small Farms are Florida's Legacy

Red Bib Lettuce, Green Cay Farms                     Sarah Brown

Did you know, in 2000, that about half of the land in Palm Beach County was still farmed? That's a lot of local produce. So why does my grocery cart seem to fill up with things from California?
My new work photographing local small farms begins in September. I always wanted to live on a working farm and am anticipating the project will be a satisfying addition to Wilds of My Home (my ongoing series of South Florida's remaining lands). Farming or even just a small backyard garden reduce our carbon foot print. Want to do something to help the earth and tastes good? Check our your community agricultural programs at your local farm, buy some containers and start growing your favorite things.
I am a longtime subscriber to Green Cay Farms in Boynton Beach, as well as, a backyard gardener myself.
Even though I can't grow everything that my family eats, we eat as local as we can. Although it is a green choice for me, the rest of my family will say it just tastes better. I hope you follow my year into the agricultural culture that remains in Palm Beach County and the farmers that feed us.

Rich in History, A Double Sided Treasure of Photographic and Cultural History

Lawrence E. Wills and his Flint 1927    Belle Glade, FL 

Since I am elbow deep into the Belle Glade Historical Society's photographic collection, I can unequivocally state that there is both the intrinsic value for the actual negative and print (or tintype, etc) as well as the historical record of Florida's native landscapes, the cultural illuminations, and the focus on agriculture. I am staring to feel that a return to agricultural as a sustainable food means(South Florida has 2 growing seasons and a long history of providing food through out the country.) and a sustainable economic industry. We all need food, every day. Palm Beach County was once a king agricultural mecca leading the economic trail to prosperity. I saw the photographs of inventions, acres of fields that probably fed some of us, and communties that started it all.

This is all leading to a new collection of historic photographs. I am beyond words over the collection that is both full of significant history of the land and settlement, but the actual collection is a photographic treasure.

If you would like more information about the collection, the Belle Glade Historical Society, and our mission; or you would like to assist with a donation please contact me for how to proceed:
sbrownimages@gmail.com

Here are some glimpse into the past(I captured using daylight bulb lighting and a copy stand):

Early 1900's view of the landscape around the southern part of Lake Okeechobee

Seminole's sailing their boats (dug out canoes with homemade sails)

Special Thank You to Steve for his continued efforts to care and over see the collection, and letting me a part of the process.